The final resting place of the the Philae Lander, which made history when it became the first man-made object to touched down on a comet in November 2014, was a mystery for a long time.
Scientists, however, announced on Sunday that they have finally found the European Space Agency's (ESA) long-lost space robot.
New images from the probe's mothership Rosetta, which is in orbit around Comet 67P, showed the location of the Philae. Rosetta captured these images just in time before its mission will end in less than one month.
Rosetta is already low on solar power as Comet 67P moves away from the sun. The space probe is set for a touchdown on the surface of the comet itself to end the mission, which was launched in March 2004 to conduct a detailed study of a comet.
The images revealed why it was difficult for Rosetta to communicate with Philae after the latter landed on the comet. Philae was wedged in a crack between rocks. The pictures show the probe rests on its side in a crevice with its two legs visible in high resolution imagery.
Rosetta has been conducting searches shortly after Philae's comet landing but this was in vain. Images taken on Sept. 2 when the probe was just 1.7 miles above Philae on the comet's surface though finally ended the mystery of where the Philae is.
Pictures showed not just the lander's legs but also some of its instruments and panels. ESA said that closer images will also possibly be taken once Rosetta descends toward the comet.
Philae only operated for three days after it landed on the surface of the comet but it has nonetheless provided data about Comet 67P. The probe, for instance, detected organic molecules on the surface and send high-resolution images to Earth. Its radar instrument also assessed the internal structure of the comet and revealed that the comet lacks a magnetic field.
The German Aerospace Center (DLR), which is primarily in charge of Philae, said that it will no longer attempt to make contact with Philae after scientists tried to nudge back Philae into life by transmitting signal into space.
"This remarkable discovery comes at the end of a long, painstaking search," said ESA's Rosetta Mission Manager Patrick Martin. "We were beginning to think that Philae would remain lost forever. It is incredible we have captured this at the final hour."
